Senior Social Worker

Veterans Health Administration • Augusta, GA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

This Senior Social Worker position is part of the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) within the Mental Health Service at the VA Augusta Health Care System. The incumbent serves as an independent clinical mental health provider under general supervision and as a key member of an interdisciplinary team that includes psychiatry, nursing, peer specialists, and rehabilitation staff. The position is above the full-performance level and includes crisis intervention in the residential setting, rapid clinical triage, and coordination with emergency resources as needed.

The Senior Social Worker provides advanced assessment, psychotherapy, treatment planning, rehabilitation, care management, and coordination for Veterans with complex mental health, substance use, and psychosocial rehabilitation needs. The role also contributes to clinical discussions, program development, quality improvement, and residential therapeutic curriculum development, while maintaining timely documentation and compliance with applicable VA and accreditation standards.

The work schedule is 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, including some weekends. Telework is not available, and this is not a virtual position. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and program approval. The full-performance level and actual selection grade are GS-12.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree does not substitute for the master’s degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master’s degree level.
• For the GS-12 Senior Social Worker grade, at least two years of experience after advanced practice clinical licensure in a specialized area of social work, including one year equivalent to GS-11.
• Advanced practice-level state licensure or certification, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless covered by the applicable state grandfathering provision; must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced psychosocial or case management.
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation into differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Knowledge of methods to measure the effectiveness of social work practice and services, use outcome evaluations to improve treatment, and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines relevant to the service delivery area.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Must submit transcripts and a license with the application; an unofficial transcript is sufficient.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and satisfy background/security and onboarding requirements.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

• At least two years of experience in a clinical setting providing psychotherapy.
• Certification or post-master’s training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university in a specialty area, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct advanced biopsychosocial assessments and comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for Veterans with complex mental health, substance use, and psychosocial rehabilitation needs.
• Provide evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, and trauma-informed care.
• Develop, implement, and update individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans.
• Provide psychoeducation, skill-building, and recovery-oriented interventions to support functional improvement and community integration.
• Coordinate care and lead clinical discussions, contributing to case formulation, treatment planning, and discharge and aftercare coordination.
• Conduct and document suicide and violence risk assessments, provide crisis intervention, and advise on risk mitigation strategies.
• Provide rapid clinical triage in the residential environment and coordinate with emergency resources as needed.
• Participate in program development, quality improvement, and curriculum development for residential therapeutic programming.
• Complete timely and accurate documentation in accordance with VA and accreditation standards.
• Ensure compliance with privacy, computer security, infection control, and environmental safety policies.
• Provide care appropriate to the age, developmental, and cultural needs of Veterans served.
• Support customer service standards and handle conflict constructively.
• Provide individualized care management for a specified caseload of Veterans to promote continuity of care and improved health outcomes.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to provide comprehensive health care services and ensure equitable access, service, and benefits.
• Provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education for assigned social work staff, as applicable to the assignment.
• Contribute to clinical program development and effectiveness, and serve on committees, work groups, and task forces as appropriate.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with an award of up to $200,000 over an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child care subsidy for eligible full-time employees, subject to the stated income and eligibility requirements.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Potential annual leave accrual credit based on prior work or military service, subject to prior request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior